Mayor tackling the tough issues
Editor’s note: Mr. LaBedz letter was received before the county council passed bill banning Styrofoam containers.
As an environmentalist, I spend an awful lot of time criticizing elected officials for not doing their jobs.
That’s why it feels good to write this note as a positive shout-out to our Mayor Derek Kawakami.
First and foremost, I thank him for taking a stand against our ocean’s plastic plague. I am hoping that the majority of the council will agree with him and get retail Styrofoam off the island and pass the mayor’s anti-Styrofoam bill.
Second, I commend him for promoting religious tolerance. (All major and minor religions started out as someone else’s “wacky cult.”)
Last, but not least, he has handled the COVID flu epidemic about as good as anyone could, given the constant changing information. I am a medical doctor, fairly knowledgeable about this stuff, and I sure wouldn’t want to make all these decisions.
Thank you Mayor Derek. Hang in there.
Gordon LaBedz, Kekaha
New norm forces his emergency austerity
I caught myself thinking the other day, and before I could stop the new norm hit me right between the eyes, again. Our current behavior has caused a glut of oil, and a reduction of laws, rules and regulations that are enforced. After all, it is an emergency.
I suggest the “new norm” be considered with today’s austerity, from the bottom up. My household is scrutinizing the budget. Every administrative layer is bracing for the expected downsizing. Some of those layers aren’t necessary, and some of the rules and regulations are counterproductive on a personal level.
Vehicle safety checks are an example of waived enforcement. Prior to that, an older car would be “totaled” if the light for the air bag was on. New airbag or no safety check, totaled. This is a result of a written law.
Most will agree that laws, rules and regulations often have unintended consequences. Perhaps this is an opportunity to address each cost from a benefit perspective. County, state and federal rules and regulations sure feel onerous to me.
On other notes: Plastic is toxic. And, why are we promoting petroleum-resource development? It’s an election year.
Aloha.
Mike Curtis, Koloa
COVID-free Kaua‘i should open schools
I believe that schools should be open on Kaua‘i only for our kids and teenagers to go to school, interact with kids their own age, be able to talk with their teachers, etc.
This should happen while we don’t have COVID-19 on our island thanks to the people of Kaua‘i and our mayor.
If teachers need day care for their kids the state should hire baby sitters for their children, as I know their aren’t preschools open, etc.
They should be at the school so the teacher/parent will have access to their kids plus be able to teach our future generation as long as we are COVID-free. I also believe that this should happen before we start getting visitors from anywhere so we can see how it works. It will be good for the parents (home teaching is hard for some) and great for the kids.
Mahalo.
Lori MacDonald, Kapa‘a
It is said that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and a whole vineyard to home school a child!
Regardless, your local government has done an exceptional job with reducing Covid on island.
Don’t tempt fate.
Gordon, I agree the mayor has done a great job overall.
Seems you might of missed his dealings with the Haena cult though? Are you being sarcastic about him tolerating religion by getting rid of the “wacky cult” that committed no crime. My guess it was the pressure from Haena fiefdom who supports him (and not so much religious freedom) and saving them from committing a Portland style mob crime. Glad to see the cult gone, but we should reflect on our so called religious freedom “we tolerate.”
Lori Macdonald, “If teachers need day care for their kids the state should hire babysitters for theIr children, as I know there aren’t Preschools open, etc.“. Lori don’t assume there isn’t preschools open. Merry- go- preschool has been open for 40 plus years and during this pandemic has Continued to essentially care for many of Kauai’s children and will continue for those needs for families of Kaua’i. If anyone is in need of preschool contact Gini Martin for possible days that you may need For children 2 years 8months to 12 years of age. 651- 5876. We are a home style school on our property in the Kapaa homesteads and offer preschool care year round. Aloha!
Aloha Dr. Labedz, mahalo for your support in protecting the environment.
Your being “fairly knowledgeable about this stuff” assuming that means about the virus and thus the upcoming vaccine, what is your opinion on the dichotomy of the existing fear to be expected by our uneducated public ignorance of natural, or is it laboratory, made viruses on the one hand, and equal if not greater uneducated ignorance by the public of laboratory created non-bio-identical disease mimicking vaccines much of the public is drooling in anticipation of getting “shot“ with, some even hoping to have the laboratory created vaccine, and not without risk of another disease, injected into both of their arms, hoping that
a double dose will provide double protection, in spite of people getting sick from vaccines, and many claiming other vaccines being the source of some autism in, as claimed in some reports, 1 in 30 young boys, an outrageous percentage, being an ignored pandemic if your child was such a victim.
Thank you in advance for any enlightenment you can share with us.
Al Harp
Mr. Harp, not a single person ever got autism from a vaccine. We wasted 10 years of autism research proving that the work of a con man, A CON MAN, was untrue. You stop saying this. Don’t ever say it again!
Pete, we all are assuming that you will be among the first to test any and all COVID vaccines. Don’t disappoint us.
The very same day you stop writing under at least four anonymous names.